Random logic is a semiconductor circuit design technique that translates high-level logic descriptions directly into hardware features such as AND and OR gates. The name derives from the fact that few easily discernible patterns are evident in the arrangement of features on the chip and in the interconnects between them. In
VLSI chips, random logic is often implemented with
standard cell
In semiconductor design, standard cell methodology is a method of designing application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with mostly digital-logic features. Standard cell methodology is an example of design abstraction, whereby a low-level v ...
s and
gate arrays.
Random logic accounts for a large part of the circuit design in modern
microprocessors. Compared to
microcode
In processor design, microcode (μcode) is a technique that interposes a layer of computer organization between the central processing unit (CPU) hardware and the programmer-visible instruction set architecture of a computer. Microcode is a laye ...
, another popular design technique, random logic offers faster execution of processor
opcode
In computing, an opcode (abbreviated from operation code, also known as instruction machine code, instruction code, instruction syllable, instruction parcel or opstring) is the portion of a machine language instruction that specifies the operat ...
s, provided that processor speeds are faster than memory speeds. A disadvantage is that it is difficult to design random logic circuitry for processors with large and complex instruction sets. The hard-wired instruction logic occupies a large percentage of the chip's area, and it becomes difficult to lay out the logic so that related circuits are close to one another.
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References
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Instruction processing